1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to data processing and audio communications systems, and more particularly, to systems and methods for selectively switching between a plurality of audio channels.
2. Description of the Related Art
Audio and video content devices have become more numerous in the past several years with device proliferation and miniaturization. Content devices (both audio and video) have become increasingly portable, and various devices including portable DVD players, cellular telephones, portable radios and televisions, MP3 audio players, network audio players, CD players, portable computers, tape cassette players, PDAs, minidisk players, among others, are now commonplace. The users of these devices take these devices into a variety of environments and use the devices for both business and pleasure. The device users frequently have a desire to enjoy the audio content in virtual exclusion of sounds other then the desired audio content.
Recently, digital noise reduction sound processing, and better headphone designs to isolate sound, have allowed audio headphone users to enhance their audio content listening experience. However, increasingly, the audio headphone devices are used in environments where various noise channels outside the contained headphone environment exist simultaneously. For instance, in an automobile, one source of sound would be the sound coming from the audio device (in this example music content), while another source would be the sounds from outside the car, while a third would be the sounds from within the car. The user frequently has a desire and a need to be able to process all of these distinct sound channels, but the challenge is in processing only the channels that the user has the need to listen to at the specific time the user needs to listen to them. By example, if a user were driving a car, the user may want to only listen to music content in a sealed environment, meaning that only music could be heard to the exclusion of all other sounds and the experience could be further enhanced with digital noise reduction processing. However, prudency and in many cases the laws of the various individual states (in the United States) and other countries require that the user be able to hear certain outside noises while driving. For instance, the sound of a car horn or the sound of an emergency vehicle are two noises that the user would want to (and in many cases be required by law) to hear. Moreover, the user may also have a need to hear other occupants of his vehicle, but in this case, only when it is important for them to be heard.
Therefore, a need exists for systems and methods for selectively switching between various audio channels, for example, between desired audio content and predetermined sound patterns. A need also exists for a system which switches between a plurality of audio channels where one of the audio channels is remote from the user.